Machine components such as struts, shafts, frame components, links, rotors, discs, plates, and all manner of others are often subjected to “cyclic loading” during service. Cyclic loading may cause the materials to prematurely fatigue, thereby lowering the nominal maximum stress value that can cause failure, such as cracking, plastic deformation, certain types of wear, or the like. Machine components subjected to cyclic loading are often closely monitored while in service, as undetected material failures may rapidly propagate if subjected to continued loading, potentially causing catastrophic failure of the machine component. Detection of material failures in machine components may be difficult and costly, however, especially in complex machines. As such, preventing material failure or at least reducing fatigue phenomena has long been an object of those endeavoring to extend the service life of machine components.
One strategy for increasing resistance to fatigue includes cladding machine components with a cladding material. Cladding the machine component may make the component more resistant to damage or failure by distributing stresses more uniformly across or through the materials of the machine component, and thereby reducing localized stress concentrations.
One attempt to prevent crack formation is disclosed in Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 104816093 to Yao et al. (“Yao”). Yao discloses a method for laser cladding an interior surface of a valve. In Yao, a spiral patterned laser clad is deposited on a non-sealing surface of a valve in order to prevent the formation of crater cracks in the valve. While this and other solutions may prevent the formation of some cracks or other types of material failures having various root causes, at least in certain machine components, improved and/or alternative strategies for preventing cracks from forming and also inhibiting the propagation of any cracks that do form remain desirable.